CNN investigates Foxconn iPad factory conditions, Apple responds

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You say why didn't she quit? Same reason you dont quit when ur boss pisses all over you.

Its funny how people who have cushy lives can freely criticize the less fortunate. They line them up at foxconn like they are slaves and pack them in dorms with horrible living conditions afterwards. Why didn't she quit? because has to make a living dumbass!

What? Then quit and work some place else. Foxconn isn't the only company in China. This isn't Apples or any of the other companies problem... It's China that allows it. Maybe they should start there.

Great to see CNN jump on the bandwagon. Just read their ful article, and as expected, instead of actually offering a deeper article with some real reporting, like comparing the the wages of the different manufacturing plants, how Foxconn compares to them, government responsibilities, global dynamics, and why workers like up in the thousands to work at Foxconn, we get the same superficial, 'Apple manufacturing plant' garbage which doesn't add an iota of insight or knowledge into the situation. Incredibly lazy journalism. Par for the course for CNN.

But this is absolutely scathing:

Quote:

"It's so boring, I can't bear it anymore. Everyday is like: I get off from work and I go to bed. I get up in the morning, and I go to work. It is my daily routine and I almost feel like an animal," said Ms. Chen, who aspires to become a biologist.

I assume they used the worst quotes they could get from 'Ms. Chen'. The fact that this made the cut says alot. 'Boring'? So we also expect manufacturing jobs (in China, no less) to be entertaining, dynamic, and fulfilling now? Why does this quote even deserve to be repeated, considering most people believe they have boring jobs? Oh yeah, cause she mentions she almost feels like 'an animal' (because it's a boring job) which is the sensationalism that we're looking for. Ms. Chen is saying the same thing we can expect to hear from any 18 yr old US teenager with a shitty job.

I;m not one to defend Foxconn or any of these companies, but I understand it's not as simple as people make it out to be (Move manufacturing to the US! Dictate higher wages! Stop business with Foxconn!), and these mindless articles gang-banging on Apple so as not to be left out of ad revenue don't help.

The folk in prisons have demonstrated that they "Don't play well with others" - hence, they are confined to a cell and treated like animals. Why? Becuase, left to their own devices, they act like animals. Many seem to enjoy this - because they keep going back.

You assume those in prison are actually guilty and also "don't play well with others". Many in prison have committed victimless crimes; in no way are they there due to inability to function in society. Also, there is a repeatedly-demonstrated system in this country of convicting the poor while the rich go free. That is, actually guilty or not, a poor person is much more likely to be convicted. So some of those "animals" you speak of have done no more wrong than you or I. As such, it behooves us to not treat them like animals, just in case we are wrong and they are right. Further, treating a human like an animal is a sub-human attitude.

I hope you do not only come to see my point of view after being wrongly convicted yourself.

We can put on our hippie hemp clothing, play with our hacky sack, and claim that no one should ever suffer for a nation to advancement — and that's a great theoretical goal to aspire to — but it's not realistic. If we deny these Chinese these jobs then we deny them of an option and a future for their children.

Sure, I have no problem with workers in these countries having options at a better future (relative to conditions previously). This is exactly what has happened over the past 100 years in the western world.

The problem I see is that the standard of living for the average worker in the western world is eroding at a far quicker rate than the standard of living is increasing for workers in countries such as China. Which means that, with the global picture in mind, we're taking more steps back than we are forward in terms of living conditions for the average person.

My fear is that this expectation of absurd working and living conditions for the average person (very much like the comparison to prison labour) becomes a permanent condition in our society. But then again, I don't put the blame solely on the companies -- it's up to all of us to see that all the products we buy simply can't be produced as cheaply as we expect them without such conditions existing.

Same here, have been (working 60 hours a week) for the last 25 years in a row. I thought this is what all diligent people do.

No, it's what Americans who are addicted to money do. More civilized countries such as those in Scandinavia work 35 hours a week so that they can actually live a normal life and enjoy it. Sure they have less money but they have a much higher quality of life. Only those brainwashed into thinking life is all about work and material gain would work 60 hours a week. If you work that much, you're a prisoner, whether you admit it or not.

Great to see CNN jump on the bandwagon. Just read their ful article, and as expected, instead of actually offering a deeper article with some real reporting, like comparing the the wages of the different manufacturing plants, how Foxconn compares to them, government responsibilities, global dynamics, and why workers like up in the thousands to work at Foxconn, we get the same superficial, 'Apple manufacturing plant' garbage which doesn't add an iota of insight or knowledge into the situation. Incredibly lazy journalism. Par for the course for CNN.

Just saw Ali Velshi and Whats-her-face on CNN clucking their tongues, shaking their heads in disgust, and waving an iPad around. The public destruction of Apple has commenced.

No, it's what Americans who are addicted to money do. More civilized countries such as those in Scandinavia work 35 hours a week so that they can actually live a normal life and enjoy it. Sure they have less money but they have a much higher quality of life. Only those brainwashed into thinking life is all about work and material gain would work 60 hours a week. If you work that much, you're a prisoner, whether you admit it or not.

Actually, I live in Scandinavia and I don't get any pay either. I'm not a prisoner, I am a happy man because I love my job. I agree with you: working for money is old fashioned.

'Boring'? So we also expect manufacturing jobs (in China, no less) to be entertaining, dynamic, and fulfilling now? Why does this quote even deserve to be repeated, considering most people believe they have boring jobs? Oh yeah, cause she mentions she almost feels like 'an animal' (because it's a boring job) which is the sensationalism that we're looking for.

Unless you have worked in manufacturing for 60 hours a week, you have no right to say anything. Rote work withers the brain. And forcing them to work 20 hours extra every week ensures they don't have time to restimulate while away from the plant. I think 99% of the people reading this would go nuts in that situation. I would. So I would humbly like to suggest you STFU.

Great to see CNN jump on the bandwagon. Just read their ful article, and as expected, instead of actually offering a deeper article with some real reporting, like comparing the the wages of the different manufacturing plants, how Foxconn compares to them, government responsibilities, global dynamics, and why workers like up in the thousands to work at Foxconn, we get the same superficial, 'Apple manufacturing plant' garbage which doesn't add an iota of insight or knowledge into the situation. Incredibly lazy journalism. Par for the course for CNN.

But this is absolutely scathing:

Quote:

"It's so boring, I can't bear it anymore. Everyday is like: I get off from work and I go to bed. I get up in the morning, and I go to work. It is my daily routine and I almost feel like an animal," said Ms. Chen, who aspires to become a biologist.

I assume they used the worst quotes they could get from 'Ms. Chen'. The fact that this made the cut says alot. 'Boring'? So we also expect manufacturing jobs (in China, no less) to be entertaining, dynamic, and fulfilling now? Why does this quote even deserve to be repeated, considering most people believe they have boring jobs? Oh yeah, cause she mentions she almost feels like 'an animal' (because it's a boring job) which is the sensationalism that we're looking for.

I;m not one to defend Foxconn or any of these companies, but I understand it's not as simple as people make it out to be (Move manufacturing to the US! Dictate higher wages!), and these articles don't help, especially with garbage headlines like 'Apple factory' which to me seems like they're trying to purposely misrepresent the truth for some extra clicks.

Just look at the headlines on the right of 'recent stories' about Foxconn only in the past couple weeks:

Apple tastes sour for worker

Q&A: Apple's China supplier in spotlight

Apple criticized for factory conditions

Apple: Made in China

Apple, consumers must urge justice

Guilty about your iPhone?

Simply amazing. If I didn't know better, I'd assume that not only is Apple is the sole company dealing with Foxconn and China, and not an industry wide practice.

No, it's what Americans who are addicted to money do. More civilized countries such as those in Scandinavia work 35 hours a week so that they can actually live a normal life and enjoy it. Sure they have less money but they have a much higher quality of life. Only those brainwashed into thinking life is all about work and material gain would work 60 hours a week. If you work that much, you're a prisoner, whether you admit it or not.

If someone so chooses to work those hours, then they should have the right to (and try to be compensated for it if that's their motivation). I have no problem with that, and nor should anyone judge them for choosing to live that way.

The key word here is "choice". It should be a choice, not an expectation. And that's where the problem here lies: in many cases, if people don't choose to work those kind of hours, someone else will be hired in their place. Either that or they won't make enough money to survive.

So there really is no choice in the matter. It's becoming the expected way of living for the average person in more and more cases.